Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR D.J. Turner.
The Las Vegas Raiders are bringing back a couple of familiar faces. The team announced on October 16 that it is signing wide receiver D.J. Turner and cornerback Sam Webb to the practice squad.
We have signed WR D.J. Turner and CB Sam Webb to the practice squad.
In a corresponding move, we have placed T Sebastian Gutierrez and TE Noah Togiai on the practice squad-injured list.
Turner was on the Raiders’ active roster for nine games last season and was one of the surprise players to make the team following training camp. Injuries hurt his 2022 season and he wasn’t able to make much of an impact when he got healthy. He didn’t have any catches last season but he knows the system and the coaching staff clearly likes him. The Raiders are healthy at wide receiver right now but he’s a player who could come in and play quickly if the team needed him to.
Webb joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent last season and ended up playing in all 17 games, including three starts. He was retained on the practice squad following training camp before the Carolina Panthers poached him. The team just recently released him so the logical move was for him to come back to Las Vegas. With the Raiders dealing with injuries at cornerback, there’s a good chance Webb will see some playing time soon.
To make room for Webb and Turner, the Raiders have placed offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez and tight end Noah Togiai on the practice squad-injured list.
Defense Has Been ‘Carrying’ Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders defense is on pace to have its best finish in years. The group is allowing 315.3 yards per game, which is 11th-best in the NFL right now. The Raiders haven’t had a top-15 defense in yards allowed since the 2002 season.
On the flip side, Las Vegas has the fifth-worst scoring offense in the league (16.7 points per game). This led to star running back Josh Jacobs admitting that the defense has been picking up a lot of slack this season.
“The defense, if you look at them these last two weeks, I feel like they are starting to have an identity,” Jacobs said during his October 15 postgame media availability. “They have been carrying us a little bit and hopefully the offense can catch up to where they are right now.”
Maxx Crosby Says Defense Is ‘Bonded Closer’
It’s been a long time since anybody could say the Raiders defense is “carrying” the offense. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham doesn’t have the most talent to work with but he’s been fielding a respectable unit.
A big reason the defense has been playing has been due to the efforts of defensive end Maxx Crosby. He has 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss, which are both top-10 in the NFL. He’s played on some bad Raiders defenses but is happy with what he’s seeing from his teammates now.
“I just feel we’re bonded closer,” Crosby said during his October 15 postgame media availability, via The Athletic. “When you have guys all on the same page and on the same mission, we don’t panic. I got the (roughing the passer) penalty, and they ended up scoring the next play. I felt like I let my team down … and they were like, ‘Bro, don’t worry about it and go get it next play.’ That’s what it’s all about. I got great teammates, we got great dudes in this locker room, and that’s all you can ask for.”